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Topic: When "NO" is not enough (Read 28577 times)

Help! I need someone to send me some quick-growth hormone for my very lately born spine! It's just a baby but needs to get strong fast!

BG: My sister and I have only recently reconnected after a two and a half year rift. We had a bad falling out around the time of the last presidential election - we are on VERY opposite ends of the political spectrum. I have no problem with that in and of itself, but she (and her husband, from whom all her opinions generate) kept trying to "convert" me to their side...and a person can only take so much brow beating, hence the falling out.

After the falling out, we hadn't spoken in quite some time, until I finally said to myself that this was stupid and called her. We "reconnected" as they say, and have been catching up once or twice a week since then. Initially, she tried to go back to the same tactics of political conversion as before, but somehow (I don't know how) I managed to convince her I wasn't going to be changing my mind....or is it because she got roped into an MLM opportunity and now is focused on that?

You see, she's unemployed and her DH has been telling her to find a job. Six months ago, when HE was looking for work, they bought financial products from a MLM company that sells insurance and financial products. He thought about joining up himself, but then found a job in his industry and told my sister to follow up and join.

This last weekend, she completed the first round of tests for the Series 7 license. Meanwhile, yesterday I returned from my state vocational rehabilitation services orientation meeting (where I signed up with the hopes to qualify for career coaching and job placement services since my industry is evaporating and I need to find a new line of work and possibly go back to school) and she called me, all excited about this "opportunity" and how I should hurry up and buy the financial products she wants to sell and then sign up to be her "downline".

I DO NOT want to do this. I am against MLM on principle, and this company in particular after doing research. Furthermore, me in the financial industry? I don't think so. Me giving financial planning is like Typhoid Mary selling pies on a street corner. Disaster would be the inevitable result. Bad idea.

So...here's my dilemma. Given that we've had a contentious relationship in the past, and that we've only just begun to develop a tenuous "reconnection" in the last few weeks...how can I put her off gently? She is a very strong personality who does not accept a simple "No" for an answer.

Yesterday, I tried to put her off as best I could by saying "that won't be possible" and her response was a whiney "but whyyyyyyyyyyy? Do you want to stay poor forever? These products are designed for people like you who don't have assets....what's going to happen to you when you get old and need to retire someday blah blah blah.."

Every. Time. I. Said. No., she came back with another angle. It was exhausting. What ever happened to accepting NO for an answer? What is there beyond no? Do I have to give her the cut direct? Should I send her the information I found out about this company and what it does to its customers and representatives? It has a very poor reputation from what I can see. Or, should I be strong and just tell her what I wrote here? That I'm against MLM on principle and that me buying/joining just isn't going to happen and I can't even bring myself to morally support her in her efforts? I'm really confused about how to handle this. I don't want to escalate this into a confrontation and feel I need to tread lightly, but then again, she doesn't seem to respond to subtleties.

Oh, I need advice...and failing that...just some support or a hug, I guess. I'm lost.

Second, how about, 'I'm not interested. Sis, I'm so glad to have you back in my life. I'd hate for this to make things uncomfortable between us,' with a 'so please drop it,' if you have to repeat yourself?

- is great, but I know MLMers are trained to see that as an opening to pitch their Patented No Fail Training Techniques.

How about, "Sis, I need your help. I need to know what I need to say so that you understand that I am not interested in this. I was so glad that we were able to reconnect, but lately it's like you don't even see me as family anymore - just your next potential "downline". It's hurtful; I'm starting to dread picking up the phone when it's you because I know you're going to be so busy pitching your product that you won't even care about anything I have to say."

Yeah, it's a bit of a guilt trip, but you can't always fight clean when you're dealing with the recently converted.

Business etiquette allows you to be a little pushier. And there are shady companies that don't give a hoot about etiquette in any form. Unfortunately, your sister has accepted the company's mindset that all's fair when it comes to selling their product. She probably really believes that she is doing this for your benefit - I've dealt with these people before, and they are often sincerely deceived as to how much profit they're going to make. All you can do is treat her like any aggressive salesperson - polite, but firm.

Stop trying to give her reasons why you won't buy in. She will have been trained specifically in countering all your arguments. "I don't want to," is hard to beat, though.

She's your sister, and it sounds like you do care for her.You have found information, about how the scam she has fallen for ruins people's lives. Send it to her. There is always a chance that if she hears it from enough people, she will see the light before she gets into it even deeper. The longer people are involved with these things, the harder it becomes for them to get out.

I know that the chances are high that she will not believe the information, that she will get mad at you, even, that she will say "you're just jealous" or "you're too paranoid" and stuff like that. But hey, then at least you have tried.

And keep an eye out for other family members she might try to drag into it. Are your parents somewhere in the picture? Are they at risk? Do you have other brothers or sisters? Be very, very careful and alert.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I think it will be most helpful, and I think I know what I need to do now. I feel much better. We'll see how it goes.

The sad part is, I'm not sure it's going to matter in a few months. I think she's going to give up (from what I read online, that's generally what happens to reps at this company once they realize they're not making any money at it).

She says she hates sales; she was a Realtor a few years ago, but gave that up because she hated the sales part. (!?) So, why she thinks she can sell this stuff (which, in my opinion, is a lot dodgier than selling real estate, which has actual value and benefit to people who own or even use property) is beyond me. She's normally a rational person, but when it comes to doing the bidding of DH, well, all of that just goes out the window.

Oh well. Nothing I can do about that, that's her business. But I'm not going to touch this mlm thing with a 20 ft pole, that's for dang sure.

Well. This is just LOVELY. I just got off the phone with some woman from said MLM who called me, attempting to pressure me into buying this stuff and then signing up to be my sister's downline. I guess this woman is my sister's mentor or boss in this thing. From what I read online about this company, they "force" new recruits to give them a list of everyone they know and their contact information or they have to pay extra fees or something like that.

Just for the record, I DID NOT give sis permission to give out my phone number to anyone, EVER. It looks like I'm going to have to expedite speaking to her about this. First, I need to calm down because now I'm angry. (I have issues about privacy. Years ago, a relative by marriage stole my identity online and arranged for someone to break into my house to attack me...hence that's why DH and I moved clear across the country and now I'm REAL choosy about who gets my contact info. Sis is well aware of this, hence my consternation).

Anyone care to pull me off the cliff before I go ballistic over the phone?!

I don't think you need to be pulled off a cliff. A sister giving your phone number to an MLM firm unprompted should be informed that you do not appreciate the gesture. I guess there is no need to go ballistic, but you should definitely let her know not to do that.

I don't think you need to be pulled off a cliff. A sister giving your phone number to an MLM firm unprompted should be informed that you do not appreciate the gesture. I guess there is no need to go ballistic, but you should definitely let her know not to do that.

I agree. Keep it clean and don't yell but I would definitely go up one side of her and down the other for giving someone my contact information without my permission.

Logged

After cleaning out my Dad's house, I have this advice: If you haven't used it in a year, throw it out!!!!.

I don't think you need to be pulled off a cliff. A sister giving your phone number to an MLM firm unprompted should be informed that you do not appreciate the gesture. I guess there is no need to go ballistic, but you should definitely let her know not to do that.

Agreed.

If she persists, whines about it, or the MLM tries to contact you again, I wouldn't blame you for cutting her off again, permanently.

Well. This is just LOVELY. I just got off the phone with some woman from said MLM who called me, attempting to pressure me into buying this stuff and then signing up to be my sister's downline. I guess this woman is my sister's mentor or boss in this thing. From what I read online about this company, they "force" new recruits to give them a list of everyone they know and their contact information or they have to pay extra fees or something like that.

Just for the record, I DID NOT give sis permission to give out my phone number to anyone, EVER. It looks like I'm going to have to expedite speaking to her about this. First, I need to calm down because now I'm angry. (I have issues about privacy. Years ago, a relative by marriage stole my identity online and arranged for someone to break into my house to attack me...hence that's why DH and I moved clear across the country and now I'm REAL choosy about who gets my contact info. Sis is well aware of this, hence my consternation).

Anyone care to pull me off the cliff before I go ballistic over the phone?!

I'll hold your coat.

OK, not helpful. Breathe, take a walk if you can, and write this out for yourself. You got great advice about how to handle your sister's pressure tactics; I would only repeat that you don't owe anyone an explanation and an "It's my decision, and the answer is 'no'" is definitely in line here. She's escalated the situation by giving out your number knowing your history, and that definitely warrants a prompt and direct response from you. Not to be draconian, but if you do end up changing your number, I'd consider not giving it to her and confining her incoming contact to FB or email; this depends on how she addresses your response. (Others posted since I drafted this, and I agree that you may need to think about cutting her off completely.)

I don't think you need to be pulled off a cliff. A sister giving your phone number to an MLM firm unprompted should be informed that you do not appreciate the gesture. I guess there is no need to go ballistic, but you should definitely let her know not to do that.

You're right. I know you're right. That's why I'm waiting to calm down before I address this. I don't want to over-react and have the situation blow up into something serious. I'm trying to achieve perspective on this, because I know that the thing that happened years ago isn't healed yet for me. I'm working on it, but I'm just not there yet.

Part of my annoyance comes from the fact that DH and I moved way the heck out here to get AWAY from family drama, and I feel like since my sister moved out this way (her and her family live one state over from us; they didn't move here to be near us in any way/it was because he got a job there) she's foisting more drama on me. She is someone for whom every molehill becomes Mt. Everest. We all have bumps in the road, little annoyances and such, but with her it's an EARTH. SHATTERING. EVENT. every time. It gets exhausting for me after a while. This is part of the reason we moved away. Sheesh.

That's why I'm scared to address this with her at all, frankly. It's not like I can just calmly make a request to not give out my contact info, or "you know, sis, I don't support MLM's and will not sign up with yours, either, please respect that." That's the problem. There IS simply no respect. And I'm frankly tired of it. I'm tired of everything turning into some big dramatic debate or crisis. I'm just flat tired of it.

I thought friends respected friends? And that if you tell a friend "no" or "this makes me uncomfortable, please stop" they are supposed to respect that? Maybe that's why I don't have friends....I just don't trust people to respect my boundaries anymore, after all that happened.

See why I need a hug? I'm just feeling exhausted and let-down. Every.Time.I.Open.My.Heart. this seems to happen. Jeez.

***modified to add that this last part, about not trusting people or feeling let down, I acknowledge that this is totally my own issue. Trying to work on it - that's why I'm here...to get some perspective.*** That's why it's so hard for me to discern when it's an issue for me to be legitimately concerned about or if it's my issue that is popping up and I need to deal with accordingly. That's why I appreciate your feedback so much.***